Digital Commons Network^™

Utilizing Plasmid Dna Hydrogels For Cell-Free Protein Production, Tinotenda Duche

Honors Theses and Capstones

Proteins play an important role in various biological processes and are crucial components in biomedical research and therapeutics. Cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) has provided a valuable approach for rapid protein production outside living cells, involving both transcription and translation processes. However, traditional CFPS methods encounter challenges such as high cost, relatively low yields, and scalability. The end goal of our project is to incorporate our template into the hydrogel. In this work, we report advancements towards that by trying to optimize our solution of CFPS. Unfortunately, the standards for pDNA hydrogel synthesis are not met by the pDNA production and …

The Inflation Reduction Act’S Role In Shaping Pharmaceutical Investment Strategies, Grace Harbour

Honors Theses and Capstones

The impact of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 on the financial strategies of pharmaceutical companies is the focus of this study, emphasizing research and development and capital expenditures. The act introduces a significant change in U.S. healthcare policy by enabling Medicare to directly negotiate the prices of select drugs. Employing a difference-in-differences analysis framework, this study analyzes data from both treated and control firms from Q1 2020 to Q4 2023 to evaluate the immediate financial responses of pharmaceutical companies to this significant legislative change.

Distribution Of Tick Species On Free-Ranging Ungulates In Northern New England, Karisa Graham

Honors Theses and Capstones

In Northern New England, ungulates are often parasitized by ticks, which is one of the leading causes for the decline in population. Ungulates are a good host for ticks, specifically deer ticks and winter ticks, and these ticks cause many tick-borne diseases in humans as well. The purpose of this study was to assess passive sampling from harvested animals as a means of tick surveillance in Vermont and New Hampshire. Ticks were collected from deer and moose and mapped throughout the two states by ArcGIS to visualize the trends in distribution. Relative abundance was greater in southeastern Vermont, with no …

Supply And Consumption Of Dissolved Organic Phosphorus Across The Subtropical Indian Ocean, Corinne Richard

Honors Theses and Capstones

The Indian Ocean is an understudied region for marine phosphorus (P) biogeochemistry. Emerging evidence indicates marine phytoplankton can adapt to decreasing supplies of inorganic P, a required nutrient for growth, by alternatively utilizing organic forms of P. Here we investigate the dissolved organic phosphorus concentration ([DOP]) distribution across the southern Indian Ocean using observations collected on the I05 US GO-SHIP Cruise (2023) across ~33ºS latitude. We quantify the longitudinal variability of [DOP] in the upper 350 m of the Indian Ocean and infer its rate of biological consumption from surface waters, contributing as an organic nutrient to sustain marine autotrophs …

Investigating The Relationship Between Politics And Education, Alaina M. Winrow

Honors Theses and Capstones

This paper looks into how politics plays a role in the public K-12 education system in the United States, specifically looking at the state of New Hampshire. Federal, state, and local governments provide important resources through funding to schools and create the laws that govern them. However, educational politics can be controversial at times. Within the past several years, there have been more tense school board meetings and divisive laws being passed or considered around the nation. Overall, the divisive political climate has influenced much of the discussion surrounding education and has created more stress for educators, administrators, school staff, …

Investigation Of The Effects Of Ocean Acidification On Juvenile Homarus Americanus Feeding Behavior, Sophia Roy

Honors Theses and Capstones

Climate change has led to increased CO2 absorption by ocean surface waters, resulting in decreased pH levels, a phenomenon known as ocean acidification (OA). A primary class of marine organism behavior is impacted by OA, in particular, olfactory-mediated behaviors related to foraging and feeding success. However, the biological mechanisms responsible for the documented impairment of foraging and feeding-related behaviors remains in question. We find that juvenile American lobsters (H. americanus) exhibit significantly faster rates of total feeding times in response to short-term low pH exposure. However, total search time and total handling time were not affected by pH when examined …

How World’S Fairs Conceive Of The Future During Times Of Turmoil, Mikayla Lauren Tilden

Honors Theses and Capstones

During the 20th century, the theme of World's Fairs in the United States broke away from previous World Exposition traditions and centered around concepts of progress and the future. This thesis investigates the conception of the future and the evolution of the World's Fair themes during times of economic and political turmoil at the Chicago 1933–1934, New York 1939­­­–1940, and Seattle 1962 World’s Fairs. In each instance, the fair’s organizers felt the need to respond to world events, which caused them to shift their initial focus from a local attempt to increase prosperity, to a national commentary on global conditions.

Do Duckweeds Adapt To Water And Microbes?, Ava M. Rose

Honors Theses and Capstones

Organisms in their home environment sometimes outperform transplanted individuals native to other areas, in a phenomenon termed local adaptation. While local adaptation is traditionally considered to be driven by the abiotic factors of an environment, scientists have recently increased consideration of biotic factors. Specifically, of interest to many is host-associated microbiomes, which can alter host trait expression. As the desire to commercialize microbiome treatments for agriculture and medicine grows, it is important to analyze the potential value of local microbiomes, which may be adapted to their hosts, or to which local hosts may have adapted. Using Lemna minor (duckweed) as …

Artificial Intelligence And The Entertainment Industry, Caroline Rae Mccarthy

Honors Theses and Capstones

Artificial intelligence is a fast-growing technology that is quickly taking over many industries, such as the entertainment industry. Artificial intelligence has the capability to replicate voices, create fake videos and photos, called deepfakes, of just about anything, and can practically bring people back to life. This technology, as it stands now, is similar to the wild west because in the vast majority of places, it’s lawless. Artificial intelligence is growing so rapidly that lawmakers haven’t had a chance to keep up. This paper explains more of what AI does in everyday life, and how its abilities can impact the entertainment …

Investigating The Function Of Protein S-Acyltransferase 2 In Arabidopsis Thaliana Using Crispr Mutants, Nicole Benjamin

Honors Theses and Capstones

Arabidopsis thaliana contains 24 Protein Acyl Transferases (PATs). These enzymes are responsible for catalyzing the addition of a palmitate to a target substrate (palmitoylation). However, beyond its broad enzymatic function, it is unknown how PATs interact on a cellular level. This research focuses on identifying the function of PAT2. CRISPR-Cas9 was used to create deletion mutations that would result in a non-functional PAT. Two plants homozygous for a pat2 deletion were identified: pat2-5 and pat2-6. Preliminary results suggest that pollen grains in both pat2 mutants are larger in both length and width. Additionally, it appears that mutant pollen tends to …

An Updated Outline For Clearing And Staining Of Preserved Specimens, Sadie E. Smith

Honors Theses and Capstones

This protocol outlines a enhanced clearing and staining procedure for persevered specimens, focusing on the visualization of cartilage and bone in small taxa. With origins from O. Shultze's diaphonization methodology in 1897, the process of clearing and staining improves the clarity and contrast of intricate tissues. It is essential for studies in developmental biology, histology and anatomy. This protocol covers the key steps of the process while detailing the materials, solutions and estimated timeline for each step pertaining to specific taxa. The aim of the protocol is to standardize and provide guidance for procedures in the Biological Sciences department at …

Targeting Bcl6 Transcription Factor In Ovarian Cancer, Allison F. Mackey

Honors Theses and Capstones

Ovarian cancer is the most fatal female reproductive cancer, with most cases being diagnosed in late stages, after metastasis has become widespread. This can make ovarian cancer challenging to successfully treat, especially with its high rate of recurrence. The use of small molecule compounds to inhibit overexpressed transcription factors may provide an effective method for treatment. BCL6 is a transcription factor that is abnormally overexpressed in patients with recurring and late-stage ovarian cancer and has been implicated in proliferation and metastatic behavior. The identification of multiple potential inhibitors of BCL6 could improve chances for the further testing of these compounds, …

Observing And Estimating Soil Freeze Thaw Processes: From Remote Sensing To Land Surface Modeling, Mahsa Moradikhaneghahi

Doctoral Dissertations

Freezing conditions affect more than half of the exposed land in the Northern Hemisphere in cold seasons, where transitions between frozen and thawed states impact surface and subsurface water and energy budget. Recognized as an Essential Climate Variable (ECV), accurate, reliable and efficient estimates of soil freeze/thaw (FT) processes with a moderate spatiotemporal resolution are needed to fully resolve highly-dynamic processes taking place at the land-atmosphere interface. Active microwave remote sensing and land surface modeling are promising tools for advancing the monitoring of FT as an ECV. My dissertation addresses key scientific gaps in estimating soil FT conditions using active …

Natural Laboratories Of The Deep Sea: Linking Community Composition And Environmental Variables On Low-Temperature Venting Outcrops Of Ridge Flank Hydrothermal Systems To Explore Potential Impacts Of Climate Change, Inform Habitat Suitability Models, And To Understand The Impacts Of High Bathymetric Resolution On Seafloor Characterization, Anne Marie Hartwell

Doctoral Dissertations

The deep sea covers over two-thirds of the globe and represents 95% of the ocean. Most life on Earth is suspected to live on or near the seabed. Yet, these ecosystems are the least known on Earth and are important to explore as they are home to a diverse array of species that are currently under threat because of multiple anthropogenic pressures, including warming oceans. Exploration of these systems is critical to further the understanding of species interactions, biodiversity and their overall relationship to environmental and terrain variables. Many of these variables are used in species distribution models and technological …

Rational Design Of Polymers For Specific Interactions With Liquid And Solid-State Water, Nick Mitchell

Doctoral Dissertations

Many plants and animals that live in arctic regions possess biological cryoprotecting agents (CPAs) known as antifreeze proteins (AFPs) which protect them against cryoinjury in their native subfreezing environment. AFPs and their synthetic biomimetics have received increasing attention as potential candidates for various industrial and bio-medical applications. Despite the interest in developing synthetic, macromolecular CPAs; a full understanding of the antifreeze process induced by these remains elusive. To explore this, we have synthesized a series of water- soluble polyol-based polymers with systematic variation of their chain architectures.While AFPs are well-known for their ice nucleation and recrystallization inhibition activity along with …

Connecting Conservation: Modeling And Socializing Climate Connectivity For Land Conservation, Melissa M. Clark

Doctoral Dissertations

As the climate changes, species must either adapt, relocate, or face extinction. This pressing reality underscores the importance of promoting climate connectivity, which ensures that habitats and landscapes remain interconnected, allowing species to move and adapt as climate conditions shift. Given the challenges posed by ongoing climate change, it is crucial that land conservation decisions incorporate climate connectivity. Conservation goals should be informed by the latest connectivity models and be practical for implementation by on-the-ground practitioners. This dissertation aims to bridge the gap between these two critical needs, which are not always well-integrated in conservation work. Modeling connectivity in a …

Assessment Of Open Top Chambers To Simulate Effects Of Climate Change On Soil Temperature And Cover Crop Response In Agricultural Systems, Gretchen Bahmueller

Honors Theses and Capstones

Climate change is expected to yield warmer winters that have the potential to place additional stress on our already stressed agricultural systems. Understanding how agricultural systems may respond to these changes is essential to creating crop and land management plans that ensure food security for future generations. To better understand how warming winters can/will affect air and soil temperatures and cover crop performance, open top chambers (OTCs) were deployed post cover crop seeding in a field experiment at the UNH Kingman Research Farm in Madbury, NH. The experiment consisted of four cover crop treatments sown into or after corn: an …

Prospective Associations Of Fish Consumption In Cognitive Function And Depressive Symptoms Among Puerto Rican Adults, Johanna Grace Koroma

Honors Theses and Capstones

Johanna Koroma, Anne Bodenrader, and Sherman Bigornia

Objectives

Fish intake has been linked to certain neural benefits, specifically in slowing cognitive decline and attenuating depressive symptoms. However, existing evidence is conflicting and insufficient. The present study aimed to investigate the association of fish consumption with depressive symptoms and cognitive function among Puerto Rican adults.

Methods

Data is acquired from the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study, comprised of 1517 adults residing in the Boston Metro Area. Dietary patterns were evaluated using a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) with follow-up surveys conducted 2 years from baseline. Consumption was organized into quartiles based …

Who Is "Women's Health" For? Lgbtq+ Inclusion In Sexual And Reproductive Health Care, Evan Thomas England

Doctoral Dissertations

Throughout modern Western history, access to fully affirming and supportive sexual and reproductive health care (SRH) has been denied to most women and sexual and gender minorities. Also, as demonstrated by the ubiquity of the term “women’s health,” SRH often reflects a cisgender heterosexual (cishet) women-centered approach, alienating transgender, non-binary, gender nonconforming, and sexual minority individuals who are not cishet women but are in equal need of the same life-saving screenings, treatments, and counseling services. Due to the operationalization and reproduction of gendered ideologies and unequal social hierarchies within SRH, inadequate access to quality sexual health education for youth, and …

Pristine Or Perilous? Evaluating The Risks Of Cyanotoxin Production, Exposure, And Accumulation In Gye Lakes, Katherine Low

Doctoral Dissertations

Toxins produced by cyanobacteria (hereafter, cyanotoxins) are among the most lethal known biotoxins. Cyanotoxin exposure is assumed to occur mainly through direct contact with surface-bloom-forming cyanobacteria that are most commonly observed in warm, nutrient-rich lakes. However, recent observations of cyanotoxin accumulation in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE), an area where cyanobacteria blooms are rarely observed, have raised concerns over wildlife health in this highly protected region. In response, we sampled twelve clear-water lakes in the GYE to identify potential sources of cyanotoxins (particularly the neurotoxin beta-methylamino-L-alanine, BMAA), exposure routes, and health risks.Despite nutrient limitations and cool water temperatures, the sampled …

Enhanced Neuroprotection And Neuropromotion In Extremely Premature Infants Through Mindful Hands-On Care And Increased Family Involvement, Kristen Sergott

DNP Scholarly Projects

Background: Medical breakthroughs including antenatal corticosteroids and exogenous surfactants have improved survival in extremely premature and extremely low birth weight (EP-ELBW) infants. Currently, babies as young as 22 weeks’ gestation are being actively resuscitated and provided with intensive care in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) around the world. As a consequence of premature delivery, fragile and immature newborns are at risk for significant morbidities affecting their multiple organ systems. Additionally, such infants encounter neurodevelopmental trauma induced by recurrent stressful experiences ubiquitous to the NICU. Postnatal stress contributes to alterations in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and is associated with alterations in …

Enhancing Safety Surveillance During Clinical Trials: The Development Of A Safety Data Review Handbook To Support Pharmacovigilance Clinicians, Lauren Wilson

DNP Scholarly Projects

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Pharmacovigilance (PV) Sciences include activities related to safety surveillance of pharmaceutical products, and is critical for developing safe and effective medications, vaccines and medical devices. Safety monitoring starts with preclinical research and continues through clinical trial and post marketing phases. PV scientists ensure patient safety during clinical trials through regular review and analysis of safety data. Regulations have become increasingly complex, leading to inadequately defined methods for reviewing large clinical trial safety datasets. Inconsistent safety data review (SDR) practices can result in delayed detection of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) or safety signals.

METHODS: This quality improvement project used …

30 Years Of Change In The Forest Of Northern Maine, Kelsi J. Anderson

Master's Theses and Capstones

In managed forests, harvesting practices are one of the main factors that determine forest structure, composition, and the provision of ecosystem services. We resurveyed a 238,000-ha portion of the Wabanaki-Acadian Forest in northern Maine after 30 years of changes in ownership and harvesting practices. We found significant changes in forest structure and composition across a suite of forest types within the study region. Notably, there was a shift from spruce (Picea rubens, P. glauca, and P. mariana) to balsam fir (Abies balsamea) in the overstory of softwood stands and an increase in American beech (Fagus grandifolia) in the understory of …

Natural Laboratories Of The Deep Sea: Linking Community Composition And Environmental Variables On Low-Temperature Venting Outcrops Of Ridge Flank Hydrothermal Systems To Explore Potential Impacts Of Climate Change, Inform Habitat Suitability Models, And To Understand The Impacts Of High Bathymetric Resolution On Seafloor Characterization, Anne Marie Hartwell

Doctoral Dissertations

The deep sea covers over two-thirds of the globe and represents 95% of the ocean. Most life on Earth is suspected to live on or near the seabed. Yet, these ecosystems are the least known on Earth and are important to explore as they are home to a diverse array of species that are currently under threat because of multiple anthropogenic pressures, including warming oceans. Exploration of these systems is critical to further the understanding of species interactions, biodiversity and their overall relationship to environmental and terrain variables. Many of these variables are used in species distribution models and technological …

Scares: A Clinician Guide To Spinal Cord Awareness, Response, And Emergency Support Creation And Implantation Of Scares Protocol Among Hospitalist Advanced Practice Providers, Brittany Biega

DNP Scholarly Projects

While they are more common in patients with oncological disease and trauma, SCE still exist among patients without these comorbidities. Less has been established regarding care protocols in this population. The absence of standardized procedures has been linked to preventable, adverse patient outcomes, including cases of permanent damage due to delayed treatment. This project employs Lean Six Sigma methodologies and Johns Hopkins Evidence- Based Practice to devise a robust SCE protocol, aimed at standardizing care and improving patient outcomes. A multidisciplinary team including general medicine, neurology, neurosurgery, and neuroradiology developed “Spinal Emergency Management Guidelines” protocol, which was implemented within the …

Assessing Barriers And Facilitators To School Nurse Recommendations Of Human Papillomavirus Vaccination, Amy E. Dark

DNP Scholarly Projects

Background Vaccine hesitancy among students and caregivers is a pervasive challenge for educational leadership and school health staff, leaving the school community at risk for vaccine preventable disease. The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is an underutilized primary prevention strategy against six HPV related cancers.

Purpose The purpose of this quality improvement (QI) project was to measure the effect of an evidence-based educational intervention and facilitated role play on the knowledge and confidence of school nurses (SNs) when discussing HPV vaccination.

Methods This QI project was performed using a brief educational presentation with facilitated role play and a pre/post survey design. …

Unsung Heroes In Conservation: Evaluating The Limitations Faced By New England Wildlife Rehabilitation Centers And Proposing Solutions For Their Support And Recognition, Shaylee M. Sarmiento

Honors Theses and Capstones

Wildlife rehabilitation is an often-unacknowledged practice within the overarching field of wildlife protection and conservation. This practice involves the treatment and hopeful release of wild animals affected by various ailments. With the continued expansion of and interest in the field, it could be assumed that wildlife rehabilitation is supported and funded by government bodies, but this is not the case. Because of the lack of funding and resources, many wildlife rehabilitation centers cannot achieve their full rehabilitative potential and expand their reach in the conservation world. Additionally, an absence of support leads critics to question the ethical standards of wildlife …

Effects Of 0, 8, Or 16g/D Of Nicotinic Acid To Prepartum Jersey Cows: Effects On Glucose Concentration In Their Calves, Kaitlyn M. Zarrella

Honors Theses and Capstones

The primary objective of this research project is to further investigate the optimization of colostrum production in multiparous Jersey cows, focusing on the influence of diet and seasonal factors. Previous findings by Dr. Stahl in 2023 at the University of New Hampshire Burley-Demeritt Organic Dairy Research Farm indicated that an intake of 23 g/d of nicotinic acid (Niacin; NA) might have been excessive for prepartum Jersey cows, potentially affecting colostrum yield and quality. While an enhancement in intestinal development was noted in calves receiving colostrum from cows supplemented with nicotinic acid, the dosage may have been too high to positively …

2023 U.S. Globe Partner Yearbook, Globe U.S. Coordination Office

Partner Yearbooks

No abstract provided.

Adventure’S Role On First-Year Rotc Cadet's Sense Of Belonging And Trust, John Robert Henkelman

Master's Theses and Capstones

In recent years, the United States military has fallen short of recruitment and retention goals. Belonging and trust may be beneficial in developing stronger peer-to-peer bonds in first-year college outdoor orientation programs, but no known study has explored the use of adventure in developing belonging and trust in ROTC orientation programs. Researchers surveyed traditional and adventure-based ROTC orientation programs and compared belonging and trust scores. ROTC programs were then compared to non-military-based outdoor orientation programs from across the United States. Using quantitative analysis, this exploratory study found that both national outdoor orientation programs and adventure-based ROTC orientation programs increase a …